I am wondering if there should be an update to Buddhist terminology or subjects - I mean, way back in the Buddha's own day, 'intoxicants' may have been the worst substance one could consume - however, these days, there are far worse in the manner of foods that can distort, irritate, and interfere with one's practice.
This pondering comes from personal experimentation. I have checked each level of my mind that I currently use, and can find that they all function well enough after a bottle of beer or a glass of wine. Perhaps if I were fasting and then took an enormous glassful of sherry or port styles wine, I may find otherwise, but I can see no damage to my practice from a daily post/pre-dinner drink.
What I have recently found to be a problem is gourmet jelly beans. I have noticed that a small packet of 50g taken as a dessert DOES affect my mind disfavorably.
I have made several healthy changes to my diet as a whole over the past few years, now eating a vegetarian diet and only 1-1.5 meals per day, usually. Maybe the fact that I seldom eat high-sugar foods or foods with coloring/flavoring added has led to the occasional treat as backfiring on me. Otherwise, it might be that I now use different levels of my mind and have a different lifestyle and attitude. These may not function so well with gourmet jelly beans as with my usual food.
Whether it is the ingredients directly or indirectly, I shall not be buying another 50g pack of gourmet jelly beans again. I certainly do not want to ruin my progress by munching an occasional unhealthy treat. Therefore, I am wondering if perhaps there should be an update - that 'intoxicants' should now refer to foods that are toxic to the mind levels, as well as the more usual meaning of alcohol and drugs. Many of the modern foods that a lot of people regularly consume are laden with these artificial ingredients or high sugar levels - perhaps these should also come into this category, because they definitely affect my mental processes disfavorably - including the ones that I use for my practice.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Karmic residue
I can FEEL that the purpose of flashbacks to former unhappy parts of this current life might be getting rid of some of my karmic residue. At first, I thought I was falling backward when this happened…
It appears that each time I make a major leap forward, and 'clear' a blockage, I will find myself thrown back into my past miseries. The first way this happens is that my mind starts working the way it used to and needs to be told - once more - 'NO! the improvement is the way that I am going to live.' The second way is as if I am reverting to a past error that has to be ingrained as an error rather than 'the past' I threw away and grew out of. It is as if I have to learn how to deal with such a problem if it recurs, now I have learned better.
Whereas once I was horrified when I found my old ways come back again, or my mind trapped in former misery; now that I can view the REASON for this, I can stay happy - I am getting rid of even more karmic residue! (The more I deal with now, the less that will be left!!)
It appears that each time I make a major leap forward, and 'clear' a blockage, I will find myself thrown back into my past miseries. The first way this happens is that my mind starts working the way it used to and needs to be told - once more - 'NO! the improvement is the way that I am going to live.' The second way is as if I am reverting to a past error that has to be ingrained as an error rather than 'the past' I threw away and grew out of. It is as if I have to learn how to deal with such a problem if it recurs, now I have learned better.
Whereas once I was horrified when I found my old ways come back again, or my mind trapped in former misery; now that I can view the REASON for this, I can stay happy - I am getting rid of even more karmic residue! (The more I deal with now, the less that will be left!!)
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Removing the major league mental faults
Dealing with hatred, anger, and fear is one of the first Buddhist principles I 'tested' and found to work. I was reading a Buddhist biography about a monk who had succeeded in eradicating his kilesas, when my own dropped away. Maybe this is because I saw what I read as wonderful and gave it my respect, or perhaps it was a foretaste of what was a natural path for me to take.
By the time my anger tried to return, I had read several books more on Buddhist theory and practices. I understood the benefits of learning to live without anger, fear and hatred, and had also some experience of life without this 'nasties'.
As anger tried to creep back into my head, I was disgusted. I did not want that dirty emotion back in my mind! I took up the teachings I had read and practiced ways of stopping it return. I am now able to control the major leaguers, although I am still faulty when it comes to dealing with the subtle guys. For ridding oneself of the gross guys, there are three main steps:
1. Recognize how horrid it is to experience anger, fear, and hatred.
2. Separate the event from the instigator.
3. Learn to feel compassion for the instigator and/or regard the event as a karmic lesson, only present in your life because of your own wrongfulness in history.
By the time my anger tried to return, I had read several books more on Buddhist theory and practices. I understood the benefits of learning to live without anger, fear and hatred, and had also some experience of life without this 'nasties'.
As anger tried to creep back into my head, I was disgusted. I did not want that dirty emotion back in my mind! I took up the teachings I had read and practiced ways of stopping it return. I am now able to control the major leaguers, although I am still faulty when it comes to dealing with the subtle guys. For ridding oneself of the gross guys, there are three main steps:
1. Recognize how horrid it is to experience anger, fear, and hatred.
2. Separate the event from the instigator.
3. Learn to feel compassion for the instigator and/or regard the event as a karmic lesson, only present in your life because of your own wrongfulness in history.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Cultivating joy 3
Some of the useful Buddhist tools that assist with cultivating JOY are:
* remember that the problems of life are temporary.
* if you can control and cease your thought, your inner wisdom can solve many matters, without creating more.
* JOY is positive; concern is negative - in that it leads to the main 'problems' known within Buddhism, of hatred, anger, and ignorance.
* JOY holds the reality of the situation, before your thinking-mind can lead you astray.
* JOY may replace restful sleep, but that is much better than being awake and unrested.
* remember that these difficulties are present in the form of karmic lessons to be learned, and not attacks from life, nature, enemies, or society. Find JOY in the fact that you have the opportunity to learn from these situations and make progress.
* small worries and major troubles will be present whatever attitude is held. Letting them stir up negatives decreases progress, whereas letting them pass by and accepting their lessons gives positive progress.
* learn to blame your history as the karmic cause and learn the lessons your own past has created for you now, rather than blaming he physical 'now' surfacing point of these matters.
I can be joyful that I have learned enough to try to use these opportunities rather than letting them become out of hand routes to despair.
I can be joyful that troubles come to teach me something, rather than as a war I have to fight.
I can be joyful that I will survive whatever problems arise, whether I am successful in dealing with them or not, but that if I am successful in handling them, they will be smaller and there will be less lying ahead of me.
I should remain, retain, and regain JOY - as I can then see the problems clearly and not make mistakes or let them get out of hand due to mental dysfunctions.
"I try to view worries and concerns as a heavy mist that tries to dampen my day.
They have no true purpose in life, so I simply blow them away."
* remember that the problems of life are temporary.
* if you can control and cease your thought, your inner wisdom can solve many matters, without creating more.
* JOY is positive; concern is negative - in that it leads to the main 'problems' known within Buddhism, of hatred, anger, and ignorance.
* JOY holds the reality of the situation, before your thinking-mind can lead you astray.
* JOY may replace restful sleep, but that is much better than being awake and unrested.
* remember that these difficulties are present in the form of karmic lessons to be learned, and not attacks from life, nature, enemies, or society. Find JOY in the fact that you have the opportunity to learn from these situations and make progress.
* small worries and major troubles will be present whatever attitude is held. Letting them stir up negatives decreases progress, whereas letting them pass by and accepting their lessons gives positive progress.
* learn to blame your history as the karmic cause and learn the lessons your own past has created for you now, rather than blaming he physical 'now' surfacing point of these matters.
I can be joyful that I have learned enough to try to use these opportunities rather than letting them become out of hand routes to despair.
I can be joyful that troubles come to teach me something, rather than as a war I have to fight.
I can be joyful that I will survive whatever problems arise, whether I am successful in dealing with them or not, but that if I am successful in handling them, they will be smaller and there will be less lying ahead of me.
I should remain, retain, and regain JOY - as I can then see the problems clearly and not make mistakes or let them get out of hand due to mental dysfunctions.
"I try to view worries and concerns as a heavy mist that tries to dampen my day.
They have no true purpose in life, so I simply blow them away."
Friday, June 19, 2009
Cultivating joy 2
Secondly, if a few minor worries are thudding into my mind akin to a rain of medium heaviness constantly thudding upon a window pane, I used to toss and turn all night and day until it stopped and arising matters passed into my history. I would pick at a notion and pull it to pieces, seeing the blackest of blacks possible - and being grateful that the actuality only turned out to be dark gray at the worst. After studying Buddhism, I now have a new way to deal with these minor league hits from life.
Although I am far from perfection, I am currently trying to learn how to catch these worries as they surface and stop them at this point. This is where the cultivation of joy comes in.
Suppose there are a few minor difficulties floating about my life. As I go to bed at the end of the day, I might begin to doze off and suddenly one will pop up. It is at this precise point that I should stop thinking 'darn it, I want to get some sleep' and start thinking about stopping these thoughts from surfacing so that I actually can do so. If I have a minor money problem that I need to sort out or a small difficulty with the groceries, a friend, or my son, I need to STOP thought production and turn aside from the matter. I need to start working on producing JOY in my head to block the worries from entry.
If I let my thinking mind ramble on and on, it will turn trivial maters into giant problems that prevent my sleep all night through. If I turn away and try to ignore the thoughts, they will batter on and on and I will still not get my sleep. If I focus on JOY, it can be the stronger presence in my mind. I still may lay awake for some time, but I will get my rest whilst doing so. Instead of tiring my self out even further by worrying and fretting, I will have filled myself with positives and left myself unharmed by leaving the minor problems minor.
Another help from JOY is that it stops my thinking mind from thinking. This keeps my knowing mind as the leader. If I know rather than think, then solutions often surface naturally.
"I try to view worries and concerns as a heavy mist that tries to dampen my day.
They have no true purpose in life, so I simply blow them away."
Although I am far from perfection, I am currently trying to learn how to catch these worries as they surface and stop them at this point. This is where the cultivation of joy comes in.
Suppose there are a few minor difficulties floating about my life. As I go to bed at the end of the day, I might begin to doze off and suddenly one will pop up. It is at this precise point that I should stop thinking 'darn it, I want to get some sleep' and start thinking about stopping these thoughts from surfacing so that I actually can do so. If I have a minor money problem that I need to sort out or a small difficulty with the groceries, a friend, or my son, I need to STOP thought production and turn aside from the matter. I need to start working on producing JOY in my head to block the worries from entry.
If I let my thinking mind ramble on and on, it will turn trivial maters into giant problems that prevent my sleep all night through. If I turn away and try to ignore the thoughts, they will batter on and on and I will still not get my sleep. If I focus on JOY, it can be the stronger presence in my mind. I still may lay awake for some time, but I will get my rest whilst doing so. Instead of tiring my self out even further by worrying and fretting, I will have filled myself with positives and left myself unharmed by leaving the minor problems minor.
Another help from JOY is that it stops my thinking mind from thinking. This keeps my knowing mind as the leader. If I know rather than think, then solutions often surface naturally.
"I try to view worries and concerns as a heavy mist that tries to dampen my day.
They have no true purpose in life, so I simply blow them away."
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Cultivating joy 1
"I try to view worries and concerns as a heavy mist that tries to dampen my day.
They have no true purpose in life, so I simply blow them away."
This works on two levels for me, although I still need much practice before I achieve what I believe rather than simply see what I should do.
Firstly, if a major problem hits my life with a loud THUD, I used to go into shock, then get angry at the injustice, blame the origin of the problem on a physical 'other' origin, and tremble and sweat in fear until I slept and wept my way into dealing with the results and suitable action surfaced into my mind. After studying Buddhism, I now have a new way to deal with these major league hits from life.
Now, when a major problem arrives, I can stay stable and look it in the face. I do not need to enter the shock zone to stay clear minded, fly into fury at what my own karma has resulted in giving back to me as a new lesson, spend time cursing and hating the surfacing point of my own problem, or in physical inability and despair. I can see that these hassles have to be lived through and dealt with, and that doing so calmly does so with greater efficiency.
I am currently learning not to 'freak out' but to remain understanding in these situations. I am 'getting there'!! I also need to cultivate JOY in order to remind myself that they come as lessons to be learned, rather than as a personal attack, something aimed at destroying my ability to live. Without the continual regrowth and recognition of JOY, these can easily be seen as major problems rather than karmic lessons, and therefore be treated with the wrong attitude.
They have no true purpose in life, so I simply blow them away."
This works on two levels for me, although I still need much practice before I achieve what I believe rather than simply see what I should do.
Firstly, if a major problem hits my life with a loud THUD, I used to go into shock, then get angry at the injustice, blame the origin of the problem on a physical 'other' origin, and tremble and sweat in fear until I slept and wept my way into dealing with the results and suitable action surfaced into my mind. After studying Buddhism, I now have a new way to deal with these major league hits from life.
Now, when a major problem arrives, I can stay stable and look it in the face. I do not need to enter the shock zone to stay clear minded, fly into fury at what my own karma has resulted in giving back to me as a new lesson, spend time cursing and hating the surfacing point of my own problem, or in physical inability and despair. I can see that these hassles have to be lived through and dealt with, and that doing so calmly does so with greater efficiency.
I am currently learning not to 'freak out' but to remain understanding in these situations. I am 'getting there'!! I also need to cultivate JOY in order to remind myself that they come as lessons to be learned, rather than as a personal attack, something aimed at destroying my ability to live. Without the continual regrowth and recognition of JOY, these can easily be seen as major problems rather than karmic lessons, and therefore be treated with the wrong attitude.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Everyday Buddhism: the grocery store
If one concentrates on decreasing or removing craving and grasping, one can learn not to buy ones groceries based on pleasant flavor, delicious tastes, and the 'yummy' factor, but rather to make purchases based on nutrition and health. Removing the 'I want' and replacing it with the 'my body needs' can help you pass by the chocolate bars and head for the right ingredients for a proper diet.
This is turn improves both the physical health of your body and your Buddhist practice. You eat better foods because you have bought better foods and you took a small step to work towards overcoming some major faults. Your health improves and so does your progress.
A second factor that can be taken into account is the produce itself. Often, items can be selected that are more in agreement with Buddhist principles than alternatives. For example, selecting an organic fair-trade coffee brand as opposed to whichever brand is currently on special or selecting an organic Indian herbal tea blend rather than choosing a regular tea that may be made in a country that is anti-Buddhist. Being able to make a small difference in the world just by changing your shopping habits is a simple step that can help people to LIVE their Buddhist principles in their life, rather than keep them locked in the head.
This is turn improves both the physical health of your body and your Buddhist practice. You eat better foods because you have bought better foods and you took a small step to work towards overcoming some major faults. Your health improves and so does your progress.
A second factor that can be taken into account is the produce itself. Often, items can be selected that are more in agreement with Buddhist principles than alternatives. For example, selecting an organic fair-trade coffee brand as opposed to whichever brand is currently on special or selecting an organic Indian herbal tea blend rather than choosing a regular tea that may be made in a country that is anti-Buddhist. Being able to make a small difference in the world just by changing your shopping habits is a simple step that can help people to LIVE their Buddhist principles in their life, rather than keep them locked in the head.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The importance of taking vows
Whilst I can accept that vows are not necessary for everyone in all circumstances and at every stage of development, I am beginning to understand the importance of establishing a commitment in a structured form. Whilst different Buddhists taking different paths, teachings, and lifestyles will take different vows, the choice to take some form of obligation would seem to be wise.
Without stating precisely which vows I have personally taken, I will say that I have made a 'general vow' as a directive towards gradually taking on various standard vows rather than taking on a whole bunch at the start. This means that as I grow along my Buddhist pathway, I incorporate more of the vows from one of my 2 chosen lineages as I progress, rather than adopting them all as an initial vow. My vow is to gradually take them all on, but feeling unable to handle them all in one go, I prefer to 'increase my commitments as I travel onward'.
Recently, I read and contemplated a specific vow that I chose to take on. The intention to do so being enough to establish my commitment to it, after the initial vow of 'taking on more undertakings as I go'. When the relevant occasion next occurred that would previously have been a '50-50' on whether I took the right action or not, having taken on that vow meant that it became a '75-25' and that the right action was taken. Having made the commitment, I felt obliged to take the correct course when deciding whether to or not, rather than allowing the moment itself to guide me.
Without stating precisely which vows I have personally taken, I will say that I have made a 'general vow' as a directive towards gradually taking on various standard vows rather than taking on a whole bunch at the start. This means that as I grow along my Buddhist pathway, I incorporate more of the vows from one of my 2 chosen lineages as I progress, rather than adopting them all as an initial vow. My vow is to gradually take them all on, but feeling unable to handle them all in one go, I prefer to 'increase my commitments as I travel onward'.
Recently, I read and contemplated a specific vow that I chose to take on. The intention to do so being enough to establish my commitment to it, after the initial vow of 'taking on more undertakings as I go'. When the relevant occasion next occurred that would previously have been a '50-50' on whether I took the right action or not, having taken on that vow meant that it became a '75-25' and that the right action was taken. Having made the commitment, I felt obliged to take the correct course when deciding whether to or not, rather than allowing the moment itself to guide me.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Arhantcy v Bodhisattvahood
Without a specific lineage to follow, many Western practitioners have to make their own choice based on the factor of which aspects they develop first. There is no expected convention leading one to either path, but one has to establish which path one will take individually. In countries where Buddhism is the established religion, one generally takes the choice of the country.
If the path toward becoming an Arhat is to see emptiness directly, and then to climb into this experience and develop it by gradually shedding the 'I want's, 'I don’t want's and multiple 'me-mind' made kilesas, it would seem a far easier path than that of the Bodhisattva. The latter needing to not only do the above, but additionally aim to live continuously among troubled beings, retain an enormous quantity of specific vows, and to develop much stronger levels of karuna and metta.
The key seems to be the amount of compassion one obtains. Once one establishes a certain degree of compassion, one is surrounded by the desire to use this in order to help all beings. It is not a me-mind created desire, but a naturally arising desire that becomes evident as layers of me-mindedness are shed in the presence of compassion. This seems to be why several lineages emphasize the importance of growing compassion as an initial step.
At a certain point of development, the compassion is experienced not as a wish to have it, but as an actuality. At this point, when it naturally arises rather than is wished for and created, the path of the Bodhisattva becomes the preferred option. However, if other factors are worked with and compassion is only considered lightly, the path of the Arhat may become the stronger choice. For example, if one focuses on aspects such as ridding the mind of kilesas or seeking enlightenment, these factors can grow towards a personal saving without leading to sufficient amounts of compassion to establish the desire to assist others to also take the path to freedom.
If the path toward becoming an Arhat is to see emptiness directly, and then to climb into this experience and develop it by gradually shedding the 'I want's, 'I don’t want's and multiple 'me-mind' made kilesas, it would seem a far easier path than that of the Bodhisattva. The latter needing to not only do the above, but additionally aim to live continuously among troubled beings, retain an enormous quantity of specific vows, and to develop much stronger levels of karuna and metta.
The key seems to be the amount of compassion one obtains. Once one establishes a certain degree of compassion, one is surrounded by the desire to use this in order to help all beings. It is not a me-mind created desire, but a naturally arising desire that becomes evident as layers of me-mindedness are shed in the presence of compassion. This seems to be why several lineages emphasize the importance of growing compassion as an initial step.
At a certain point of development, the compassion is experienced not as a wish to have it, but as an actuality. At this point, when it naturally arises rather than is wished for and created, the path of the Bodhisattva becomes the preferred option. However, if other factors are worked with and compassion is only considered lightly, the path of the Arhat may become the stronger choice. For example, if one focuses on aspects such as ridding the mind of kilesas or seeking enlightenment, these factors can grow towards a personal saving without leading to sufficient amounts of compassion to establish the desire to assist others to also take the path to freedom.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Compassion - do I have enough? 4
Currently, I am trying to demonstrate to my neighbor that the pigeons are living beings to be respected. I am doing this by treating them with respect myself and hoping that she spots my back yard activity. I have been waiting for them to finish a bath on our doorstep before going past, smiling at them and greeting them with a welcome message as they fly down, standing at my windows as they feed to show that I care about them. I am hoping that my neighbor will soften her heart and learn to see these birds as individual beings rather than a mass pestilence.
As I read about the affects of karma, I worry that if this does not happen, our neighbor may return as a bird that can find no peace herself one day. I can see how once I would have reacted the same way, if I had viewed the birds to be a 'problem' rather than 'living beings' though. It makes me see how much Buddhism has taught me and how much others have yet to learn.
However, I also see that I too must learn far more - because I can not currently use my understanding and experience in such a way to solve the problem. Whilst I can now see the problem as it is, along with some of the possible affects that might run on from matters, the compassion that I do already have leads me to want to rescue my neighbor from the possible karmic outcome. I feel somewhat stranded at this point, and unable to progress into actually doing anything useful about the situation to help either the pigeons or my neighbor.
Whilst I DO truly want both neighbor and pigeons to be contented, I can as yet find no solution from this. Maybe I have not enough compassion to see the answer, or perhaps I merely have to be patient for a solution to surface. I seem to be at the stage of seeing a situation from all viewpoints, but am not yet accomplished enough to know how to act on this information.
As I read about the affects of karma, I worry that if this does not happen, our neighbor may return as a bird that can find no peace herself one day. I can see how once I would have reacted the same way, if I had viewed the birds to be a 'problem' rather than 'living beings' though. It makes me see how much Buddhism has taught me and how much others have yet to learn.
However, I also see that I too must learn far more - because I can not currently use my understanding and experience in such a way to solve the problem. Whilst I can now see the problem as it is, along with some of the possible affects that might run on from matters, the compassion that I do already have leads me to want to rescue my neighbor from the possible karmic outcome. I feel somewhat stranded at this point, and unable to progress into actually doing anything useful about the situation to help either the pigeons or my neighbor.
Whilst I DO truly want both neighbor and pigeons to be contented, I can as yet find no solution from this. Maybe I have not enough compassion to see the answer, or perhaps I merely have to be patient for a solution to surface. I seem to be at the stage of seeing a situation from all viewpoints, but am not yet accomplished enough to know how to act on this information.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Compassion - do I have enough? 3
Instead of furiously growling at my neighbor, I can see the reason for her action, and fully understand the reason for her behavior. I can also see that until recently, she too enjoyed feeding some species of birds in our yards. I can see that she does not view the pigeons as equal beings to herself, but as pestlike nuisances. This leads me to be able to feel compassion for both the disturbed pigeons and my unaware neighbor.
My own understanding of the situation prevents me from making things worse, but I wonder if I have enough compassion. If I did, surely I would also know how to make things better, too?
I would LIKE there to be peace for us all, both for my neighbor and the pigeons. Creating harmony between the different aspects of one's life is not my problem alone. Many people come across various areas of their life that do not mix well with others. For example, the son and the friend may disagree, or the pet cat and the MIL… Many people seem to have a similar problem, to some degree.
My own understanding of the situation prevents me from making things worse, but I wonder if I have enough compassion. If I did, surely I would also know how to make things better, too?
I would LIKE there to be peace for us all, both for my neighbor and the pigeons. Creating harmony between the different aspects of one's life is not my problem alone. Many people come across various areas of their life that do not mix well with others. For example, the son and the friend may disagree, or the pet cat and the MIL… Many people seem to have a similar problem, to some degree.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Compassion - do I have enough? 2
Recently for example, our neighbor has become annoyed by the pigeons that we feed pooping on her property. She is concerned that she will get bird flu or a disease, after not minding them for several years. They like to use her windowsills and rooftop to preen on before and after their meals somedays, when not wanting to use our lawn. Her reaction is now to rattle an empty tub at the birds, trying to scare them away. A few years ago, I would have fired up in anger and have considered her a very evil and cruel person for doing this, but now I can view the situation differently.
Instead of reacting with anger and retaliation, I now become sad. Whilst I can see that my neighbor does not enjoy these pigeons pooping on her windowsills and dropping the odd feather on her property, I can also see that the pigeons want to eat, preen and rest in peace. I have learned to see things from both their view and my neighbor's, as well as my own.
Whilst this may not assist the situation itself, it prevents my growing angry from it and leaves me with better ability to attempt to sort things out so that both pigeons and neighbor can live in peace.
Instead of reacting with anger and retaliation, I now become sad. Whilst I can see that my neighbor does not enjoy these pigeons pooping on her windowsills and dropping the odd feather on her property, I can also see that the pigeons want to eat, preen and rest in peace. I have learned to see things from both their view and my neighbor's, as well as my own.
Whilst this may not assist the situation itself, it prevents my growing angry from it and leaves me with better ability to attempt to sort things out so that both pigeons and neighbor can live in peace.